Duke appoints ‘master civil servant’ as his right-hand man

Heir signals intent by signing up official currently leading Irish border negotiations

AFTER stepping up to duty as a fulltime royal, the Duke of Cambridge has vowed to be on hand to support the Queen, charm Europe at the request of government and take on the diplomatic minefield of an official visit to Israel.

Yesterday, he gave the clearest sign yet of his approach to the serious business of being second in line to the throne, appointing one of Britain’s leading civil servants as his private secretary. The Duke has welcomed Simon Case, currently tasked with trying to solve the border issue in Northern Ireland and Ireland during Brexit discussions, to the Royal household.

Dr Case will replace Miguel Head, the Duke’s private secretary who has served in the household for 10 years.

The Duke paid warm tribute to Mr Head yesterday, saying he felt “incredibly lucky to have benefited from Miguel’s advice and support over the last decade”.

In his tenure, first as press secretary and then as private secretary, Mr Head has guided the Duke from his time as a trainee RAF pilot dating girlfriend Kate Middleton, through his high-profile wedding, fatherhood and stepping down from his job as a search and rescue pilot to become a full-time Royal.

The Duke has also taken on increasingly challenging overseas tours, including a Brexit “charm offensive” on behalf of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

Dr Case, who takes up his new role in July, is currently director general for Northern Ireland and Ireland in the Department for Exiting the EU.

Aged 39 and with a PHD in political history, his remarkable career has included work as director of strategy for GCHQ, director of the implementation group at the Cabinet Office, and as principal private secretary to David Cameron and Theresa May. Described by those who have worked with him as master navigator, he has been hailed as a “very smart appointment” by sources who have seen him discreetly negotiate some difficult issues.

The arrival of Dr Case is a clear signal about the Duke’s intentions for his future work as a full-time Royal, with him increasingly supporting the Queen and meeting leaders from around the world in his official capacity.

He will take over as private secretary after the Duke’s tour to Israel, Jordan and the occupied Palestinian Territories in the summer.

Dr Case joins the Kensington Palace team not long after Catherine Quinn, who became the Duchess’ private secretary from her role as head of Oxford University’s Said Business School. Prince Harry has his own private secretary, while Meghan Markle has been given an assistant private secretary.

‘I have been incredibly lucky to have benefited from Miguel’s advice and support over the last decade. He has been an outstanding secretary’